For some reason the previous thread was closed without explanation. So I’m starting a new thread about everyone’s favorite program.

Their first game is August 29. I have seen other teams that play that day began fall practice yesterday. I tried googling but couldn’t find any information about them opening fall camp. Does anyone know anything about it? Any reports on how many players they have? The official website does not have a roster posted.

https://www.gocsucougars.com/news/2026/7...eason.aspx

Per the official website players reported yesterday for camp. No mention of how many players there actually are, but saw in an interview with Coach Rome that they already had about 30-40 guys on campus over the summer going through workouts.

(07-30-2026 08:22 AM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  For some reason the previous thread was closed without explanation. So I’m starting a new thread about everyone’s favorite program.

I cannot purport to know the thought process of the forum moderators, but maybe it was closed because Chicago State has their own forum? https://csnbbs.com/forum-987.html

(07-30-2026 08:41 AM)jcohen42 Wrote:  

(07-30-2026 08:22 AM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  For some reason the previous thread was closed without explanation. So I’m starting a new thread about everyone’s favorite program.

I cannot purport to know the thought process of the forum moderators, but maybe it was closed because Chicago State has their own forum? https://csnbbs.com/forum-987.html

The SEC has its own forum but there are multiple threads on here about the SEC.

Timely thread. CSU released the gametimes for all home games yesterday.

O wins vs D1 competition. Book it

They've got an open practice and media availibility with coaches next week. I'll try to drive down for it. I know I'll be at that first game!

(07-30-2026 10:31 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  They've got an open practice and media availibility with coaches next week. I'll try to drive down for it. I know I'll be at that first game!

Better secure that press pass early before ESPN and the other big boys snap them all up.

(07-30-2026 11:53 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  

(07-30-2026 10:31 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  They've got an open practice and media availibility with coaches next week. I'll try to drive down for it. I know I'll be at that first game!

Better secure that press pass early before ESPN and the other big boys snap them all up.

I think some media will be there to watch this train wreck. It’s going to be so bad…

I honestly feel bad for these kids that were duped into coming to Chicago St. The program was so hastily thrown together and I imagine they are doing everything on the cheap. I worry injured players won’t get proper treatment.

(07-31-2026 07:07 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I honestly feel bad for these kids that were duped into coming to Chicago St. The program was so hastily thrown together and I imagine they are doing everything on the cheap. I worry injured players won’t get proper treatment.

Maybe things will improve, and I hope they do, but right now this has the smell of Lincoln University with an MLS stadium.

(07-31-2026 07:07 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I honestly feel bad for these kids that were duped into coming to Chicago St. The program was so hastily thrown together and I imagine they are doing everything on the cheap. I worry injured players won’t get proper treatment.

For all their faults, they still have a strength and conditioning coordinator and a training program. Yes, they will need to meet a greater capacity demand, but they already had that kind of thing in place.

It was cobbled together, sure. Players might be overmatched. They might not be terribly coordinated. There might not be depth. But I'd speculate the training aspect will be fine.

(07-31-2026 06:37 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(07-30-2026 11:53 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  

(07-30-2026 10:31 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  They've got an open practice and media availibility with coaches next week. I'll try to drive down for it. I know I'll be at that first game!

Better secure that press pass early before ESPN and the other big boys snap them all up.

I think some media will be there to watch this train wreck. It’s going to be so bad…

The Bears are on the road that day. Clearly they petitioned the NFL for that so they wouldn’t be overshadowed by the debut of Chicago State football.

Interesting as soon as Chicago State launches their program, the Bears hightail it to Indiana.

(07-31-2026 07:07 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I honestly feel bad for these kids that were duped into coming to Chicago St. The program was so hastily thrown together and I imagine they are doing everything on the cheap. I worry injured players won’t get proper treatment.

Kids were begging the coaches on Twitter for a chance to try out for the team. In this day and age, with so many getting paid million$ to play it, it's easy to forget that most of us who play it now or played it in the past happily did so without any compensation at all, and many without much hope for many Ws. No reason to feel badly for them at all, they get to jump in literally on the ground floor of this. Probably will struggle the first few years, but you never know where it will lead, and they'll always be able to say that they were the first.

(07-31-2026 07:31 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  Kids were begging the coaches on Twitter for a chance to try out for the team. In this day and age, with so many getting paid million$ to play it, it's easy to forget that most of us who play it now or played it in the past happily did so without any compensation at all, and many without much hope for many Ws. No reason to feel badly for them at all, they get to jump in literally on the ground floor of this. Probably will struggle the first few years, but you never know where it will lead, and they'll always be able to say that they were the first.

This makes sense...IF Chicago State did not have a track record of poor decision making at all levels of the university. Next year, they move to the NEC, to which the closest opponent is 440 miles and $36.00 on the I-90 tollways.

(07-31-2026 07:40 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(07-31-2026 07:31 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  Kids were begging the coaches on Twitter for a chance to try out for the team. In this day and age, with so many getting paid million$ to play it, it's easy to forget that most of us who play it now or played it in the past happily did so without any compensation at all, and many without much hope for many Ws. No reason to feel badly for them at all, they get to jump in literally on the ground floor of this. Probably will struggle the first few years, but you never know where it will lead, and they'll always be able to say that they were the first.

This makes sense...IF Chicago State did not have a track record of poor decision making at all levels of the university. Next year, they move to the NEC, to which the closest opponent is 440 miles and $36.00 on the I-90 tollways.

If these kids had other options, they would have taken them.

No argument on the track record of poor decision making at Chicago St, but I think that's a big reason they're so interesting to us. There's no reason that there should even be a school there at all, except that one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world thinks that they needs to be a school there. That kind of support can make up for a whole lot of Chicago St admin mistakes (and it has, as we both know). Still, I'll say this, Chicago St is the only college in the country I can get any excitement built up for at all other than ofc for my Aggies, and I think I'm not the only one around here who kinda wants them to do something good.

(07-31-2026 07:46 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(07-31-2026 07:40 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(07-31-2026 07:31 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  Kids were begging the coaches on Twitter for a chance to try out for the team. In this day and age, with so many getting paid million$ to play it, it's easy to forget that most of us who play it now or played it in the past happily did so without any compensation at all, and many without much hope for many Ws. No reason to feel badly for them at all, they get to jump in literally on the ground floor of this. Probably will struggle the first few years, but you never know where it will lead, and they'll always be able to say that they were the first.

This makes sense...IF Chicago State did not have a track record of poor decision making at all levels of the university. Next year, they move to the NEC, to which the closest opponent is 440 miles and $36.00 on the I-90 tollways.

If these kids had other options, they would have taken them.

No argument on the track record of poor decision making at Chicago St, but I think that's a big reason they're so interesting to us. There's no reason that there should even be a school there at all, except that one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world thinks that they needs to be a school there. That kind of support can make up for a whole lot of Chicago St admin mistakes (and it has, as we both know). Still, I'll say this, Chicago St is the only college in the country I can get any excitement built up for at all other than ofc for my Aggies, and I think I'm not the only one around here who kinda wants them to do something good.

No one wants these young guys to get hurt or be embarrassed out there. In fact on a personal level I’m rooting for these guys. They are caught in the crossfire.

(07-31-2026 08:17 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  No one wants these young guys to get hurt or be embarrassed out there. In fact on a personal level I’m rooting for these guys. They are caught in the crossfire.

If Chicago State football succeeds the young men who are playing this fall could be looked upon as the ones who began to build something special in spite of less than ideal circumstances.

The short-term focus for the athletic program needs to be on competing in the NEC. There will always be a conference who needs another member, the important part is to be ready when that call comes.

(07-31-2026 07:46 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(07-31-2026 07:40 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(07-31-2026 07:31 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  Kids were begging the coaches on Twitter for a chance to try out for the team. In this day and age, with so many getting paid million$ to play it, it's easy to forget that most of us who play it now or played it in the past happily did so without any compensation at all, and many without much hope for many Ws. No reason to feel badly for them at all, they get to jump in literally on the ground floor of this. Probably will struggle the first few years, but you never know where it will lead, and they'll always be able to say that they were the first.

This makes sense...IF Chicago State did not have a track record of poor decision making at all levels of the university. Next year, they move to the NEC, to which the closest opponent is 440 miles and $36.00 on the I-90 tollways.

If these kids had other options, they would have taken them.

No argument on the track record of poor decision making at Chicago St, but I think that's a big reason they're so interesting to us. There's no reason that there should even be a school there at all, except that one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world thinks that they needs to be a school there. That kind of support can make up for a whole lot of Chicago St admin mistakes (and it has, as we both know). Still, I'll say this, Chicago St is the only college in the country I can get any excitement built up for at all other than ofc for my Aggies, and I think I'm not the only one around here who kinda wants them to do something good.

Northeastern Illinois and U of I-Chicago are in Chicago. Governor's State and Northern Illinois are in the suburbs. And of course community colleges and private schools.

All jokes aside, I do wish them well. We joke about the NCCAA teams on the schedule but they are winnable games that will give them some confidence. I do think it might have been better not playing some of the tougher teams but it does make some money for them.